List: Current UFC champions by weight class

Becoming UFC champion is the ultimate goal of the mixed-martial artists across the globe. However, only a very few fighters will ever reach this goal.

The UFC currently recognizes champions in eleven weight classes, eight men's and three women's. The UFC did not always have champions separated by weight classes. The earliest editions of UFC events featured one night tournaments. Later the UFC created a short-lived super fight title. In the late 1990s the UFC created its first weight divisions and crowned it's first champions. Around 2010 the UFC added more weight divisions and championships, after it acquired a roster of lighter weight fighters from the WEC. After purchasing Strikeforce in 2011 the UFC also acquired the contracts for a stable of women fighters. In 2013 the UFC created it's first women's division (bantamweight). In the years since the UFC has created three further women's divisions.

Below are all the fighters who currently have UFC gold strapped around their waist.

UFC heavyweight champion (up to 265 lbs)

The current UFC heavyweight champion is Jon Jones.

There have been 23 heavyweight UFC champions in history starting with Mark Coleman who defeated Dan Severn at UFC 12 on February 7, 1997. Stipe Miocic holds the record for most title defences, defending the belt on four occasions across to separate championship reigns. Cain Velasquez held the belt for the longest amount of time; 896 days between 2012 and 2014.

Jon Jones 🇺🇸

Jon Jones' MMA record: 27-1 (1) (1-0 at Heavyweight)

Title victory: Ciryl Gane via submission (guillotine choke), round 1 (2:04) at UFC 285 on March 4, 2023.

Title defences: 1

• Stipe Miocic via KO (spinning kick), round 3 (4:29) at UFC 309 on November 16, 2024.

Next defence: TBA

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UFC light heavyweight champion (186 to 205 lbs)

The current UFC light heavyweight champion is Alex Pereira.

Frank Shamrock was the first UFC light heavyweight champion. He defeated Kevin Jackson at UFC Japan in 1997 for that honour. Other notable UFC champions to hold this belt are Tito Ortiz, Randy Couture and Chuck Liddell. In 2011 Jon Jones won the title from Shogun Rua. He defended that title on eleven non-consecutive occasions. Jones lost the title a number of times due to off-the-field issues, including a hit-and-run incident, multiple drug test violations and an eventual move up in weight. This belt has changed hands on 19 occasions, the most out of any UFC title belt.

Alex Pereira 🇧🇷

Alex Pereira's MMA record: 12-2

Title victory: Jiri Prochazka via TKO (elbows), round 2 (4:08) at UFC 295 on November 11, 2023

Title defenses: 3

1. Jamahal Hill via KO (punches), round 1 (3:14) at UFC 300 on April 13, 2024.
2. Jiri Prochazka via TKO (head kick and punches), round 2 (0:13) at UFC 303 on June 29, 2024.
3. Khalil Rountree Jr. via TKO (punches), round 4 (4:32) at UFC 307 on October 5, 2024.

Next defense: TBA

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UFC middleweight champion (171 to 185 lbs)

The current UFC middleweight champion is Dricus du Plessis.

Dave Menne was the first UFC Middleweight champion, beating Gil Castillo in 2001. The belt is best known for being held by Anderson Silva from 2006 to 2013. Silva defended the belt on 10 consecutive occasions before losing it to Chris Weidman. Silva's 2,457 days as champion is a UFC record for a single title reign. The belt has changed hands the second most amount of times in UFC history (15). Recent middleweight UFC champions include Robert Whittaker, Alex Pereira, Israel Adesanya and Sean Strickland. The belt was also once held by UFC Hall of Famers Michael Bisping and Georges St-Pierre.

Dricus du Plessis 🇿🇦

Dricus du Plessis' MMA record: 22-2

Title victory: Sean Strickland via split decision at UFC 297 on January 20, 2024.

Title defenses: 1

1. Israel Adesanya via submission (face crank), round 4 (3:38) at UFC 305 on August 18, 2024.

Next defense: TBA

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UFC welterweight champion (156 to 170 lbs)

The current UFC welterweight champion is Belal Muhammad.

Pat Miletich was the first UFC Welterweight champion. He won the belt at UFC Brazil with a win over Mikey Burnett. Georges St-Pierre is the promotion's most notable welterweight champ. He claimed the belt from Matt Hughes in 2004. He defended the title twice and then lost it to Matt Serra in 2007. St-Pierre won the title back in an immediate rematch and defended the belt a further nine times.

Belal Muhammad 🇺🇸

Belal Muhammad's MMA record: 24-3 (1)

Title victory: Leon Edwards via unanimous decision at UFC 304 on July 27, 2024.

Title defenses: 0

Next defense: TBA

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UFC lightweight champion (146 to 155 lbs)

The current UFC lightweight champion is Islam Makhachev.

The Lightweight title was first held by Jens Pulver, who beat Caol Uno in 2001. The belt was stripped from Pulver over a contract dispute. It wouldn't be until 2006 when someone else got to wear the belt, with Sean Sherk claiming it with a win over Kenny Florian at UFC 64. The lightweight title has changed hands regularly, with no champion yet being able to defend it more than three times. Lightweight UFC champions who managed three defenses include B.J. Penn, Frankie Edgar, Benson Henderson, Khabib Nurmagomedov and current champion Islam Makhachev.

Islam Makhachev 🇷🇺

Islam Makhachev's MMA record: 26-1

Title victory: Charles Oliveira via submission (arm triangle choke), round 2 (3:16) at UFC 280 on October 22, 2022.

Title defenses: 3

1. Alexander Volkanovski via unanimous decision at UFC 284 on February 12, 2023.
2. Alexander Volkanovski via KO (head kick and punches), round 1 (3:06) at UFC 294 on October 21, 2023.
3. Dustin Poirier via submission (brabo choke), round 5 (2:42) at UFC 302 on June 1, 2024.

Next defense: TBA

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UFC featherweight champion (136 to 145 lbs)

The current UFC featherweight champion is Ilia Topuria.

The featherweight title was created in 2010 and betrothed to Jose Aldo, who had held that title in the UFC-acquired promotion WEC. Aldo defended the title on seven occasions, a record for the division, before losing it to Conor McGregor. McGregor was stripped of the title before he could make any title defenses. Since McGregor the title was held by Max Holloway, Alexander Volkanovski and Ilia Topuria.

Ilia Topuria 🇬🇪🇪🇸

Ilia Topuria's MMA record: 16-0

Title victory: Alexander Volkanovski via KO (punch), round 2 (3:32) at UFC 298 on February 17, 204.

Title defenses: 1

1. Max Holloway via KO (punches), round 3 (1:34) at UFC 308 on October 26, 2024.

Next defense: TBA

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UFC bantamweight champion (126 to 135 lbs)

The current UFC bantamweight champion is Merab Dvalishvili.

The bantamweight title was created at the same time as the featherweight title. Former WEC champion Dominick Cruz was given the UFC version. He defended it twice before vacating the belt due to injury in 2014. Among all the bantamweight UFC champions, the only one to defend the belt more than twice is Aljamain Sterling, who did that between 2021 and 2023.

Merab Dvalishvili 🇬🇪

Merab Dvalishvili's MMA record: 18-4

Title victory: Sean O'Malley via unanimous decision at UFC 306 on September 14, 2024.

Title defenses: 0

Next defense: TBA

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UFC flyweight champion (116 to 125 lbs)

The current UFC flyweight champion is Alexandre Pantoja.

Demetrious Johnson was the promotion's first flyweight champion. He won the newly created title against Joseph Benavidez in 2012. Johnson successfully defended the title on 11 consecutive occasions, which is a UFC record. He lost the belt to Henry Cejudo in 2018. Cejudo vacated the title after one defense. Since then the title has mostly switched between Deiveson Figueiredo and Brandon Moreno.

Alexandre Pantoja 🇧🇷

Alexandre Pantoja's MMA record: 28-5

Title victory: Brandon Moreno via split decision at UFC 290 on July 8, 2023.

Title defenses: 2

1. Brandon Royval via unanimous decision at UFC 296 on December 16, 2023.
2. Steve Erceg via unanimous decision at UFC 301 on May 4, 2024.

Next defense: Kai Asakura at UFC 310 on December 7, 2024.

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UFC women's featherweight championship (136 to 145 lbs)

The women's UFC featherweight championship is currently vacant.

The women's featherweight title was created in 2017. Germaine de Randamie won the vacant belt with a win over Holly Holm. De Randamie was stripped of the belt a few months later for refusing to defend the title to Cris Cyborg. Cyborg then won the vacant title (against Tonya Evinger) and defended it twice before losing to Amanda Nunes. Nunes defended the title twice.

Vacant

Since Nunes' retirement in 2023, the belt has remained vacant, and there have been no UFC women's featherweight title fights.

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UFC women's bantamweight champion (126 to 135 lbs)

The current Women's UFC bantamweight champion is Julianna Pena.

Ronda Rousey was the UFC's first women's bantamweight champion. She won the belt with a win over Liz Carmouche in the promotion's first ever women's fight. Rousey defended the title six times before losing to Holly Holm. Amanda Nunes won the title in 2016 and defended it on six occasions spread across two separate reigns.

Julianna Pena 🇺🇸

Julianna Pena's MMA record: 12-5

Title victory: Raquel Pennington via split decision at UFC 307 on October 5, 2024.

Title defenses: 0

Next defense: TBA

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UFC women's flyweight champion (116 to 125 lbs)

The current Women's UFC flyweight champion is Valentina Shevchenko.

The women's flyweight title was first won by Nicco Montano as reward for winning The Ultimate Fighter season 26. She was stripped of the title after she missed weight for her first title defense in 2017. Valentina Shevchenko won the vacant belt and defended it seven times before losing to Alexa Grasso in 2023. She was able to regain the belt in 2024 to become a two-time champion.

Valentina Shevchenko 🇰🇬

Valentina Shevchenko's MMA record: 24-4-1

Title victory: Alexa Grasso via unanimous decision at UFC 306 on September 14, 2024.

Title defenses: 0

Next defense: TBA

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UFC women's strawweight champion (106 to 115 lbs)

The current women's UFC strawweight champion is Zhang Weili.

The women's strawweight title was created in 2014. It was first won by Carla Esparza, who beat Rose Namajunas in the finale of The Ultimate Fighter season 20. Joanna Jedrzejczyk took the belt from Esparza. She currently holds the record for five defenses in the division.

Zhang Weili 🇨🇳

Zhang Weili's MMA record: 25-3

Title victory: Carla Esparza via submission (rear naked choke), round 2 (1:05) at UFC 281 on November 12, 2022.

Title defenses: 2

1. Amanda Lemos via unanimous decision at UFC 292 on August 19, 2023.
2. Yan Xiaonan via unanimous decision at UFC 300 on April 13, 2024.

Next defense: TBA

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UFC BMF Champion

The current UFC BMF champion is Max Holloway.

The BMF title was a special title created by the UFC to promote Jorge Masvidal vs. Nate Diaz in 2019. Since then the novelty belt has been used to promote Dustin Poirier vs. Justin Gaethje and then Justin Gaethje vs. Max Holloway.

Max Holloway 🇺🇸

Record: 26-8

Title victory: Justin Gaethje via KO (punch), round 5 (4:59) at UFC 300 on April 13, 2024.

Title defenses: 0

Next defense: TBA

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